The Kids
by Herochick007
Summary: Hermione and Draco are dating, their seven years, Rose and Scorpius are spending time together. When Rose reveals a dark secret, can Draco help her and Hermione? WARNING: Mentions of child abuse, molestation, alcoholism.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I don't own Harry Potter**

**TRIGGER WARNING! This story contains mentions of alcoholism, miscarriage, sexual abuse of a minor. You have been warned!**

"I don't like you," seven year old Scorpius stated to the girl sitting on the floor across from him. They were both at Malfoy manor. The girl looked up from her book. She was also seven.

"I don't like you either."

"You're only here cause your mummy and my daddy are..."

"Playing chess?" she finished.

"No, wait, what?"

"That's what mummy and daddy did in their room when I wasn't allowed in," she replied. Scorpius stared at her like she was an idiot.

"No, they're not playing chess, Rose, Merlin you're stupid."

"Am not!" Rose screamed.

"They're kissing," Scorpius stated. Rose sniffled glaring him.

"I don't like you," she stated. "You're mean."

"I am not mean. You're just a baby."

"I'm older than you!"

"No you're not."

"Am so, I was born in April. You were born...when where you born?"

"November."

"See, then I'm older," Rose stated putting her small hands on her hips. Scorpius shook his head.

"Rose, Scorpius!" The kids looked at each other and stood up.

"Yes?"

"Rose, time to go," Hermione announced. Rose glared at Scorpius one last time before following her mum out of the manor.

Scorpius looked at his father.

"Well? Did you two have fun?" Draco asked.

"What do you think? She's an idiot. I hate her and I hate 'Mione! She'll never be my mum," Scorpius yelled before running to his room and slamming the door.

"Scorpius!" Draco yelled after him sighing. He knew dating again wouldn't be easy, but this...was not quite what he expected.

HDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDH

"Rose, what did you and Scorpius talk about?"

"He called me stupid, so I called him mean. He said he was older than me. I don't like him."

"You'd better start liking him, or at least give him a chance, Rose. I like his father very much."

"Why?"

"Because, I do, Rose. He's very different than your father, can you please just give Mr. Malfoy and Scorpius a chance?"

"I'm not stupid."

"No, you're not, Rose. Scorpius is having a difficult time too, just remember that." Rose nodded slowly before retreating to her room. Hermione sighed. Could she honestly pursue this relationship if Rose disliked the Malfoys so much?

Rose flopped down on her bed. Maybe she shouldn't have called Scorpius mean? She missed her daddy, did that mean Scorp missed his mummy? She walked over to her desk and pulled out a sheet of parchment.

_ Deer Scorpius, _

_I'm sorry for calling you mean toda. Mummy sed you are sad because you miss your mummy like I miss my daddy. I wood like to tri and be frends. Rite me bak if you want. I will see you next time our parents get togethr._

_From Rose_

Rose folded the letter and wrote Scorpius' name on the front of it. She walked downstairs.

"Mummy?" Hermione turned.

"Yes Rose?"

"Can I use Tawny?" Hermione had finally gotten an owl since it made communication easier. She found she was actually fond of the bird.

"Who are you sending a letter to? Grandma and Grampa Weasley?" She encouraged Rose to keep in contact with Ron's family, even with the divorce.

"No, Scorpius. I wrote him a letter saying I was sorry." Hermione smiled at her daughter.

"Of course, here let me help you tie it on."

DHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDH

Draco blinked as Hermione's owl glided through the open window. Instead of going to him it landed in front of Scorpius and stuck out its leg.

"For me? Why would she be writing me?"

"I don't know. It's got your name on it, go ahead and open it." Draco recognized the handwriting. Who else would write a letter in crayon?

"What's it say son?"

"It's from Rose, she's sorry for calling me mean. And she wants to try and be friends." Draco nodded.

"Would you like to write her back?"

"Yes, her spelling is horrible." Draco laughed wondering how exactly Hermione's daughter wasn't as brilliant as her mother.

_ Dear Rose, _

_I am sorry for calling you stupid. I didn't mean it. I do miss my mummy. She was so pretty and smelled nice. And she loved me. I don't like your mummy! I don't want to be your friend, I want you to go away._

_Scorpius Malfoy_

Draco watched Scorpius write the letter, but he grabbed it before the boy had a chance to attach it.

"This is not acceptable, Scorpius. Rose is trying to be your friend. You will be nice to her and Hermione this Saturday."

"Do I have to be here?"

"Yes."

"I hate you too," Scorpius stated running back to his room leaving his dinner untouched. Draco wondered if he should break it off with Hermione, at least his son would be happy.

DHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHD

Rose followed Hermione as they approached the manor.

"I think Scorpius hates me."

"He doesn't hate you, Rose. He's hurting. Give him a chance." Rose rolled her eyes.

"Hermione, Rose," Draco stated opening the door for them.

"Draco, thank you for having us."

"You're always welcome here." Draco stated giving Hermione a kiss on the lips. Rose rolled her eyes again.

"Scorpius is in his room." She nodded wandering off that direction. The door was closed.

"Scorp? Hi, we're here. Wanna do something? Mummy and your daddy are...you know, whatever it is they're doing." Slowly the door swung open.

"Fine, come in, but you'll never be my sister.

"I don't wanna be, I almost had a brother."

"Almost?"

"Yeah, and then mummy and daddy got in a fight cause daddy was drinking something he shouldn't, an mummy fell down the stairs, and then my brother went away." Scorpius stared at her in disbelief.

"Mummy was really sad about it. I don't wanna brother, not after that," Rose said sadly. Scorpius slowly gave her a hug.

"Does your mummy know you know about that?" Rose shook her head.

"I was supposed to be sleep, I had a bad dream, where spiders were trying to eat me. And I heard her fall...it was horrible," she whispered. "Wanna play a game?"

"Um, I have gobstones, and chess, and...books."

"I like books," Rose stated walking over to the bookcase.

"Rose, I'm sorry." She turned to look at him.

"For?"

"Being mean and calling you stupid." Rose smiled.

"I"m sorry too, Scorpius, I miss my daddy, just like you miss your mummy."

"I do miss her."

"My mummy isn't trying to replace her, just like she says your daddy would never replace mine," Rose tried to explain.

"Oh. I...I thought."

"Maybe we should get to be friends like mummy and your daddy?"

"Okay. How do we do that?"

"I don't know, what if mummy marries your daddy?"

"I don't know."

"Scorpius, what does your daddy like to do?" Rose asked.

"He likes to fly, he's going teach me when I'm older!"

"Does he play the same game my daddy does?"

"Which game?" Scorpius asked.

"I dunno the name of it. But I undressed and he used his man wand on me," Rose explained. Scorpius' eyes widened.

"No, my daddy doesn't play those kind of games Rose. That's not right."

"Oh."

"Does your mummy know about this game?"

"No, it's mine and daddy's secret. He'll be mad if I tell," she whispered tears forming in her brown eyes. "You won't tell."

"I promise.

DHDHDHDHDHD

"Daddy." Draco looked over at his son.

"What's wrong?"

"Um, someone told me about someone doing something that might be wrong, but if they tell, they'll be in big trouble. What should I do?"

"Can you tell me what the person is doing that you think is wrong?" Scorpius looked at the floor.

"Is someone being hurt?"

"Yes."

"Hurt in the way we talked about when someone touches you and you don't like it?"

"Yes." Draco froze. He had hoped that wasn't what Scorpius had been talking about.

"Are you being hurt?" Please, say no, he thought. Scorpius shook his head. Praise Merlin, Draco nearly sighed in relief. That meant he personally didn't have to kill someone.

"Can you tell me who is being hurt?"

"No, I promised."

"What if I guess? That way you wouldn't have told me?" Draco suggested. Scorpius nodded slowly.

"Okay."

"Boy or girl."

"Girl."

"Do I know her?"

"Yes." Fuck, no, it couldn't be...he had to ask.

"Is it Rose?"

"Yes."

"Does Hermione know?"

"No."

"Who is hurting Rose?"

"I can't tell." Draco had a pretty good idea. He looked at his son, the boy was near tears.

"Scorpius, you did the right thing. Does Rose still see her father?"

"I don't know," Scorpius admitted.

"Let's go, I need to talk to Hermione now, make sure Rose doesn't have any more contact with her father."

"She'll know I told."

"That is the least of our problems right now, Scorp. If he hurts her again...with me knowing about it..."

"She's going to hate me," Scorpius stated as Draco and him apparated to Hermione's flat.

DHDHDHDHDHD

Hermione blinked as someone nearly pounded on her door. She'd just tucked Rose into bed. With a sigh she walked to the door and peeked out.

"Draco? Scorpius? What are you doing here, at this time of night?"

"Hermione, sit down. We need to talk, now. It's about Rose." Hermione sank into the chair in a daze.

"What about her?"

"Scorpius told me something this evening, something he didn't want to tell me, something he promised Rose he wouldn't. Does your ex-husband have any visiting time with Rose?"

"Yes." Draco tried to not to swear as Scorpius was sitting on the floor by Hermione's chair.

"Draco, what is this about? Why would...wait...are you implying Ron..hurt Rose? He's never laid a hand on her."

"Not like that, Hermione. Scorpius, can you tell Hermione what you told me?" The boy looked at his father wide eyed.

"I promised."

"Scorp? Mr. Malfoy?" Rose stood in the doorway, wiping sleep from her eyes.

"Rose, come here," Hermione ordered. Rose walked over and climbed into her mum's lap.

"What's wrong? Did Scorp's house burn down?"

"No, no, Rose, has your daddy been doing anything you'd like to tell me about?"

"Like what? He bought me ice cream and a bunch of Uncle George's stuff."

"Do you and your daddy have any secrets?" Rose nodded slowly. Draco felt his heart plummet in his chest. He'd known his son was telling the truth, but part of him...was it bad to hope his own son had been lying?

"Can you tell me?" Hermione asked.

"But then it wouldn't be a secret," Rose stated tilting her little head up.

"That is true, Rose, but sometimes, some secrets can be bad, like if someone is being hurt," Draco stated. Rose looked at him and then at Scorpius.

"You told."

"I did not. Daddy guessed...which is not the same as me telling."

"You're just a big blabbermouth!" Rose shouted jumping from Hermione's lap and running back to her room. They heard the door slam behind her. Draco and Hermione looked at each other.

"Silencing charms on the doors," they both stated.

"Now, since Rose has already decided you told, please?"

"Rose said her daddy and her played a game where she was naked and he used his...she called it his 'man wand'," Scorpius admitted. Hermione's face paled.

"I am going to murder him! And then bring him back and murder him again." She stood and started storming towards the door. Draco grabbed her arm.

"Going to Azkaban for murdering him will not help Rose. First things first, we have to follow the semi-proper legal channels, Hermione. You need to get full custody of Rose, no visitation." She nodded.

"You wouldn't happen to have a lawyer on call, would you?" she asked. Draco smirked.

"Actually. I do, we can get a temporary restraining order against him for Rose. That will give us time to make sure he can never come near her again."

"I...I can't believe I didn't know...how come she didn't tell me? Doesn't she realize...?"

"No, she didn't know it was wrong."

"I talked to her, Draco. The same talk you had with Scorpius."

"He made it seem like it was something else, a game, it seems. I would like you and Rose to move in with me for now, just in case..."

"Ron knows where we live," Hermione blinked back tears. She had tried so hard to be a good mother to Rose.

"Would you like me to talk to Rose?" Draco offered. Hermione nodded.

"I'll start packing. Merlin, how did this happen, how could I have..."

"You can't blame yourself, Hermione."

Draco knocked on Rose's door. She opened it a crack.

"What do you want, Mr. Malfoy?"

"Rose, please, call me Draco." She glared at him.

"Fine, what do you want, Draco?"

"I would like it if you stopped being mad a Scorpius. He didn't want to tell me, and he didn't tell me anything, I guessed."

"He promised."

"Yes, and he kept that promise Rose, but what your daddy is doing is wrong. Do you understand that?"

"It hurts. I can't tell mummy..." Rose started crying. Draco blinked and slowly wrapped his arms around the child.

"Rose, you and Hermione are going to come stay with me and Scorpius for awhile until we get all of this straightened out. Can Scorpius and I help you pack?" Rose stepped aside and let the Malfoys into her room. Draco eyed the bed for a moment wondering if that's where Ron...no, he couldn't think about that. He couldn't think about what that man had done to his...almost step-daughter.

"These are all my stuffies, and those are my books, and that's Mr. Otter. Mummy got him for me. She likes otters, her tronus is an otter," Rose babbled as Draco started shrinking her things. Her and Scorpius put them in a dufflebag.

"Is there anything else you need Rose? I've got your clothes, books, stuffies."

"My journal," she whispered pulling a ratty looking book out from under her mattress. Draco shook his head as he put it with the other items.

"Let's go see if you mum is ready," he offered. Scorpius took one last look around the room before he started to follow his father and Rose. Something caught his eye. Rose's otter. He quickly grabbed it before leaving.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I don't own Harry Potter**

**Word Count: 718**

In less than an hour, Rose and Hermione were at Malfoy Manor. Hermione was unpacking in Draco's room while he had put Rose in one of the guest rooms near Scorpius' room. Rose looked at the bed, eyeing it carefully. It was much larger than the one she had had at home.

"It's really big, but does it bounce?" she asked after a moment. Draco had already set her suitcase down.

"Go ahead and try it," he told her. She slowly climbed up and took a few experimental jumps before giggling and bouncing up and down.

"It's much better than mine!" she yelled. Scorpius appeared in the doorway.

"Alright Rose, time to get settled down and go to sleep. It's time for Scorpius to go to bed too," he added nodding to his son.

"But..." Rose looked around frantically and even jumped off the bed tearing through her suitcase.

"What's wrong?"

"I can't find Mr. Otter!" she sobbed bursting into tears.

"I've got him," Scorpius said pulling the stuffed toy out from behind his back. "He fell when we were leaving and I didn't want him to get left behind." Rose ran over to him and hugged taking her toy.

"Thank you, Scorp," she whispered trying not to yawn. Draco nodded to the bed and she climbed back up.

"Do you want me to go get your mum to tuck you in?" he asked.

"Please?"

"I'll be right back," Draco promised leaving the two kids. Scorpius watched as Rose fluffed the pillows trying to get comfortable.

"It'll be okay, Rose," he said. "Dad's going to fix everything, he almost always does."

"Almost?" Rose asked.

"He... he couldn't save my mum."

"He really likes mine..."

"Alright Rose, here we go," Hermione said as she walked in and tucked Rose in, giving her a kiss on the forehead. "Everything is going to work out. Draco's got his legal wizard working on things as we speak, I won't let him hurt you again," she promised. Rose yawned and was asleep within minutes. Hermione smiled watching her sleep for a moment.

"Scorpius, bed time for you too," Draco stated ushering his son to bed. Scorpius didn't even put up a fight as he was tucked in and Draco told him goodnight. Once both kids were asleep, Draco and Hermione ended up sitting together on one of the couches. Draco holding her as she cried.

"I should have known, Draco! I should have known something wasn't right! I'm her mum, I've got to be world's worse mum!" she sobbed.

"Hermione, you are not a bad mother! I do not want to hear that. That weasel told Rose to keep it a secret, although she did blurt it out to Scorpius..."

"Rose isn't very good at keeping secrets," Hermione whispered, "except when she thinks she's in trouble, then she'll dig her little heels in and go mute on me."

"This is not your fault Hermione. We will get this taken care of, get him taken care of... no, you're not going to charging out there after him. We already discussed this. We need to follow the mostly proper channels. Ahh, there's my owl, he should have the temporary restraining order to keep your idiot ex away from Rose." Hermione nodded as Draco took the letter and smiled.

"Perfect. He's not allowed anywhere near Rose until there can be a court hearing. What do you want to do, make him suffer by dragging it out, or get it over with?"

"Get it over with," she answered. "The sooner this is all over, the sooner we can hopefully go back to our lives." Draco nodded jotting a quick note and sending it off.

"It's done. My lawyer will see about getting a court date set up in the near future. Until then, Rose and you are both safe here. I've expanded my wards to include the two of you, something I was planning on doing anyway."

"You were?" Draco nodded.

"Yes. I was hoping that, eventually, you and Rose would move in with me and Scorpius. I just wish it wasn't under such, undesirable, circumstances." Hermione graced him with a weary smile.

"Thank you, Draco. It's been a long night."

"You need rest too," he agreed taking her hand and taking both of them to bed.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I still don't own Harry Potter or any related characters.**

Rose blinked her eyes open quickly. The room was filled with sunlight but she didn't recognize anything. There was no frilly pink curtains surrounding her bed. Why were they gone? Had Mummy decided to wash them? Slowly the rest of the room came into focus and she realized she wasn't in her room.

She shot up out of the bed and looked around a bit more. There was a bookcase against the wall, but she didn't recognize any of the books. They were all bigger and looked like something Mummy would read. She saw her bag on the floor. Last night suddenly flooded back to her, Mr. Malfy grabbing her things. Her and Mummy coming to Malfoy Manor to stay. Scorpius giving her Mr. Otter after she'd thought she'd lost him. She wondered if Mummy was up and why everyone was so upset. She knew it had to do with the secret she'd told Scorpius.

"Maybe Daddy knows?" she whispered dressing quickly. She still didn't understand what was wrong with the game her and Daddy played. Yes, sometimes it hurt, but so did falling from a tree, so did that make it bad? The adults hadn't explained things very well in her opinion. Rose opened the door and looked around. The Manor was huge, but she knew her way to Scorpius' room. She wondered if he would be awake yet, and if he knew where the kitchen was. She was hungry. As she walked, she tried to remember everything she saw. There were paintings on the walls, some kind of reminded her of Scorpius or Mr. Malfoy. Rose finally reached Scorpius' room and knocked softly on the door. She had been taught to always knock on a door before entering a room. When she didn't hear an answer, she knocked a little louder. She pressed her ear against the door and heard the sounds of someone moving around.

"Scorp? You awake?" she called. The door opened and Scorpius stared at her.

"Rose? Why are you awake?"

"Because the sun's out. And I'm hungry and I don't know 'member where the kitchen is and I want breakfast, and I'm bored." Scorpius blinked a few times.

"Come on, I'll show you where the kitchen is. We used to have house-elves a long time ago that made all the food and everything, but Dad freed them. "

"Mummy doesn't like house-elves," Rose commented.

"And that's why we don't have any. Here's the kitchen! Um, I don't know how to cook anything."

"Bread for toast?" Rose asked.

"I know where there's bread, but I don't know how to toast it."

"You don't have a toaster?"

"What's that?"

"A square thing with slots where you put the bread. You pull down the tab thingy and it makes toast," Rose answered. Scorpius shook his head.

"I've never seen anything like that."

"How does your Daddy make toast then?"

"He waves his wand at the bread and it becomes toast. Your way is better!"

"Mummy had a toaster on the counter at home. Maybe we could to get it?"

"How? We can't apparate and your house doesn't connect to our floo."

"We could walk? I don't know how to get there though..."

"Or we could wake up your Mum and ask her to get the toaster?" Rose nodded. That sounded a lot better than getting lost trying to get home.

"Is your Daddy going to be mad if we wake them up?" she asked.

"I don't think so. He knows we can't cook," Scorpius answered leading Rose out of the kitchen and towards Draco's room.

"Dad! We're hungry," Scorpius called from outside the door after knocking loudly. Rose leaned against the wall waiting. A few moments later the door opened and Draco stepped out.

"Where's Mummy?"

"She'll be out in a minute, Rose. Now what would you two like for breakfast?"

"I was going make toast, but we couldn't find the toaster, then Scorpius said you didn't have one so can we have cinnamon rolls?" Rose asked. Draco laughed and nodded.

"Of course. And the reason we don't have a toaster is because it runs on electricity, which the Manor doesn't have since when my ancestors built it, they were not interested in using Muggle technology," Draco explained.

"Oh, okay," Rose replied taking a seat at the table while Draco started making breakfast.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I still don't own anything**

Hermione yawned standing in the doorway of the kitchen. Draco and the kids were sitting at the table eating breakfast. She wondered briefly where they'd gotten cinnamon rolls, but realized it didn't really matter.

"Good morning," she said sliding into an empty seat. Draco smiled at her and slid a cup of coffee to her. She took a sip and smiled.

"Mummy! Draco made cinnamon rolls for us 'cause he doesn't have electricity for a toaster," Rose announced, her mouth half full of food.

"Rose, please do not talk with your mouth full. It is rude and no one can understand what you saying," Hermione corrected. Rose nodded swallowing her mouthful quickly.

"I said, Draco made us cinnamon rolls 'cause he doesn't have electricity for a toaster," Rose restated.

"Thank you, Rose. Thank you for breakfast, Draco."

"It was nothing, Hermione. I talked to my friend this morning while the kids were eating. I've managed to arrange for a temporary protective order for you and Rose, but to make it permanent you and Rose will need appear before a judge." Hermione nodded taking cinnamon roll and tearing bits off. Rose watched her.

"Am I still going to have lessons today, Father?" Scorpius asked looking at Draco. "Because I could skip them and show Rose around her new home?" he asked hopefully. Draco laughed.

"I am not canceling your lessons, Scorp. In fact, Hermione and I decided that Rose is going to be joining you." Rose made a face and stuck out her tongue.

"Thanks, Scorp, now I have to do lessons too!"

"Rose, you were doing lessons at home, there is no reason to not continue them here."

"But..." Rose started to argue. Hermione looked at her and Rose sank against the chair. "Fine, but they'd better not be stupid, like maths." Draco shook his head as Scorpius tried to argue that maths wasn't boring or stupid and it was one of his favorite subjects.

"If you learn maths, Rose, you'll be able to figure out how many books you can buy with your pocket money," Hermione reminded her daughter. Rose pouted but nodded. Being able to figure how many books she could buy was at least useful in her mind, although, buying candy might be even better!

RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

"This is boring," Rose grumbled as her and Scorpius sat in the classroom. Originally the room had probably been another bedroom, or maybe an office, but Draco had turned it into a classroom for Scorpius.

"I'm not bored," Scorpius commented. Rose sighed and tried to turn her attention back to their instructor. She'd been right about having to learn more maths. She hated maths, mainly because the numbers confused her most of the time. She also thought some of them looked a little too much like letters, especially five. A small bit of an idea sparked in her head. Slowly she started trying to write words using numbers instead of letters. It only took her a minute to stretch that into writing entirely in something that looked like a cross between the two.

"What are you writing?" Scorpius asked trying to read the page.

"Nothing," Rose sung smiling as she realized Scorpius couldn't read it.

"Mister Malfoy, Miss Weasley, would you kindly pay attention please?"

"Sorry, sir," the kids stated in unison turning their heads back to the front of the room. Rose pretended to listen about chain addition, but the entire time she was thinking about the strange writing idea she'd developed and wondered if she could use for something than making things unreadable.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: I don't own Harry Potter or any related characters. **

**I know it's been a bit since updating, but I promise I have not abandoned anything!**

"And that concludes today's lesson," Scorpius' tutor stated. Rose sighed with relief.

"Now what do we do?" she asked Scorpius.

"We have half an hour of free time before lunch. Then after lunch we have more lessons. Father wants me to ready for school."

"Hopefully after lunch lessons aren't boring," Rose stated, following Scorpius downstairs to the dining room.

"They are. It's Tuesday! Writing and reading."

"Sounds fun! I love reading."

"It's boring."

"Maths is boring," Rose argued.

"Rose, Scorpius."

"Hi, Mum, Draco," Rose said, sliding into her seat at the table. Scorpius took the one next to her. Each child had a plate with lunch in front of them. Lunch was chicken strips, carrot sticks, celery and a glass of juice.

"How were lessons, Rose?" Hermione asked.

"Boring, well, mostly boring. I figured out a new way of writing and you use numbers instead of letter and then you replace them with the next number or letter and then..." Rose rattled, holding out a piece of paper to Hermione. She looked at it for a moment, traced a few of Rose's letters.

"Rose, you wrote this by yourself?"

"Yes, Mummy! Scorp was too busy listening to the tutor talk about boring maths and I was bored."

Hermione handed the page over to Draco.

"Doesn't this look like an arithimancy equation here?" she asked. Draco looked at the page, squinted his eyes a little, turned it sideways. Scorpius laughed. Draco then turned it right side up and looked at it more intently.

"It does a bit. She's probably picked it up from you, Hermione," he replied, handing the page back to Hermione.

"Most likely," Hermione agreed, handing the paper back to Rose. Scorpius looked at it. He couldn't make heads or tails of anything Rose had written. It was all a jumble of letters, numbers, and something that he didn't think looked like either.

"It looks like nonsense to me," he stated.

"It's not nonsense, you heard Mummy. It's ithimary!"

"Arithimancy," Hermione corrected.

"That!" Rose replied, sticking her tongue out at Scorpius.

"If you say so. Father, do I have to have lessons with Rose? She obviously don't care about school."

"I do so, I just don't like maths," Rose argued. "And you're just jealous I made a new way of writing."

"Scorpius, Rose will be attending lessons with you for the rest of this week. After that, depending on several things, we might see about getting her her own tutor," Draco said. Scorpius sighed.

"But that's four more days. I have to take lessons with her for four more days?"

"Is not, it's three!"

"Four! We have lessons on Saturday too," Scorpius argued. Rose glared at him, crossing her arms across her small chest.

"I don't do school on Saturdays," she stated.

"We'll see," Hermione said. "What lessons do you take on Saturdays, Scorpius?"

"Piano and dancing."

"Dancing's not school, dummy."

"Rose! That was not nice."

"But Mum!"

"Rose."

"Fine, I'm sorry I called you a dummy for not knowing dancing isn't school," Rose said, picking up a carrot stick and chomping it in half.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I don't own Harry Potter**

Rose looked up from the book she was reading. It was easy, at least in her opinion.

"Can I help you, Miss Weasley?" their tutor asked.

"I'm bored," Rose stated.

"Is that book too easy for you then?"

"Yes, it's a baby book," Rose announced. The tutor nodded, pulling several other books from his back. He had been advised beforehand he was taking on an additional pupil and that Mr. Malfoy was unsure the girl's reading level.

"Do any of these seem about right?" he asked, letting her look through the stack of books. Rose smiled when she spotted one.

"I love this series. I have three of them," she added. "Can I read this one?'

"Yes, you may, Miss Weasley," the tutor answered, allowing Rose to take the book back to her seat. He made a note in the file about Rose's advanced reading level.

"Rose, we're done with lessons today, you can put the stupid book down now," Scorpius said. Rose looked over the top of it.

"But I want to finish this chapter," she said, going back to reading. Their tutor had been nice enough to leave the book for Rose to read that evening and return at their next class.

"Why?"

"Because it's interesting," Rose answered. "I want to know what happens next," she added. Scorpius rolled his eyes.

"It's boring," he argued. Rose ignored him.

"Fine, it's nice outside, I'm going to go read outside. Am I allowed outside?" she asked.

"Back porch, there's chairs," Scorpius answered, pulling out out some toys.

"Okay, let Mum and Draco know where I'm going?" she asked.

"I'll tell them," he replied, setting up his toys, so that the toy dragons were fighting the toy knights. Rose rolled her eyes and slipped outside. True to his word, there were some nice soft chairs on the back porch. Rose settled into a large green and black one. The porch didn't have a screen and there was a warm breeze. She smiled, opening her book back up. So what if Scorpius wanted to play with his stupid toys, she could sit out here and read and no one would make her do maths!

RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

"Draco? Have you seen Rose?" Hermione asked.

"Not since lunch. I know she and Scorpius had their lessons in the afternoon. She was there, the tutor mentioned her reading level, and that he gave her a book. Why?"

"She's not in her room and she's not in Scorpius' room."

"Did you ask him if he knew where she was?"

"No, he was so engrossed in his play battle. I called her name, but she didn't come. You don't think Ron found out that I know, and he's taken her?"

"Hermione, there is no way he could get past the wards I have on the manor. She has to be around here somewhere. Did you check all the bedrooms? Maybe she fell asleep?"

"Yes, all fifteen of them. She wasn't in any of them," Hermione said, her voice filled with worry. Draco paused, trying to think of a where a kid with a new book might be. He smiled.

"Did you check outside?" Draco asked, thinking of how his mother had liked to sit on the porch with her romance novels

"I didn't even think of that," Hermione answered, opening the door and looking out. Rose looked up from her book at the sound of the door opening.

"Hi, Mum! Scorpius said there were chairs out here and I have this book and Scorpius says reading is boring."

Hermione scooped Rose into a tight hug.

"Scorpius didn't tell you where I was, did he?" Rose asked, hugging Hermione back.

"No, he didn't. He probably forgot, I'm just glad you're safe. Come on, it's almost dinner time, let's get you washed up."

"Fine, but there's only like two chapters left until the end of the book!" Rose exclaimed, following Hermione and Draco inside.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I still don't own Harry Potter**

**Warning: this chapter hints at child abuse **

"Rose, no reading at the table," Draco stated. Rose raised her eyes from her book. Hermione gently took the book from her daughter.

"Aww, but Mum, I was almost done!"

"You can finish it after dinner,"Hermione stated. Rose pouted but started eating her dinner. Scorpius was already almost finished.

"Dad, can I be excused?" he asked, shoving the last piece of broccoli in his mouth.

"Now, Scorpius, it is only polite to wait for everyone else to finish," Draco said, nodding to Hermione and Rose. Rose was studying a piece of broccoli on her fork as if trying to figure out if it was food or not.

"But I'm going to miss Captain Muggle," Scorpius whined.

"What's Captain Muggle?" Rose asked, losing interest in the green vegetable.

"It's a radio program about this guy who uses his magic in the muggle world and they think he's a superhero and he can't tell the truth cause of the statue of secrecy," Scorpius explained.

"Cool, Mummy, can I go listen with Scorpius, please?"

"If you take at least one bite of your broccoli, you know what the rule is about trying new foods."

"Ick," Rose muttered, holding her nose as she shoved the smallest piece she could find into her mouth. She chewed it, stuck out her tongue and scurried from her seat after Scorpius who had already managed to escape the table.

"At least they're getting along," Hermione commented.

"Yes, that's something at least. Does Rose seem upset about the move? I know it was sudden."

"She hasn't expressed anything of the sort, but it's only been a few days. Have you heard about when they want to have the hearing?"

"Next week sometime, I'm working to make sure you get a fair judge," Draco answered.

"You don't need to do that."

"I know, Hermione, but what good is having a family name like Malfoy if I don't use it for good?" he asked, leaning across the table and giving her a quick kiss. Hermione smiled.

"I don't know what I'd do without you, Draco. Honestly, I just don't. I'm still in shock that Ron's did that, that he... I thought I knew him."

"We all did, Hermione. I never thought of him like that either. Now we know the truth, now we're acting on it. You and Rose are safe, that's all that matters now."

"Dad! You've got a floo call," Scorpius yelled from the sitting room. Draco glanced at the clock.

"Who would be calling this late?" he mused, rising from the table.

"No idea? I'll clear the table while you take the call," she said, watching him leave. She could hear the children listening the radio program. Then she heard Draco exclaim loudly. She nearly dropped the plate she'd been holding before she rushed to him. He had taken the call in his office so the kids could have the sitting room to themselves.

"What's wrong?" she asked, looking at her boyfriend.

"Ron's lawyered up. He's managed to get someone decent, although I'm not sure how he could afford someone of that rank."

"His hero status. He does like to throw it around. What does this mean for us?" she asked.

"It means, this is going to be more an a fight than I'd hoped. I honestly don't know what angle he's going for on this. I mean, I know the evidence is non existent, just Rose's word against his. They can't use occumancy on a child, it's against the law."

"Great. Just great," Hermione muttered. "What can we do? I mean, what if Rose's word isn't enough?" she asked, tears sparkling in her eyes.

"I... Hermione, I, don't know," Draco whispered, meeting her eyes. For the first time, she saw fear in his.


End file.
